Probably there are very few people who, after 30-35 years, do not periodically complain of a feeling of discomfort and pain in various areas of the back, temporary numbness of the legs or arms.Such manifestations may indicate the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis.This disease is quite common and occurs when, under the influence of various causes, the cartilage tissue of the spine begins to change, losing its mobility and flexibility.The disease can develop in any part of the spine, but most commonly affects the discs between the vertebrae.If you move less or sit for long periods of time at your workplace, you are more likely to develop osteochondrosis.
People usually notice discomfort and other changes associated with this disease closer to the second half of life.
The chance of getting the disease increases significantly if:
- You already know what age-related changes are;
- You (no matter when) have a back injury;
- You have had to undergo extreme physical exertion;
- You are constantly in stressful situations;
- Your work involves intense vibration.
And over the past few decades, spinal osteochondrosis has also become noticeably "younger."
Early onset of the disease is possible if:
- The person has poor physical fitness or has poor posture;
- Someone eats untimely or incorrectly;
- suffering from flat feet or spinal curvature;
- The person has bad habits – overeating or smoking.
In addition, the load on the spine also increases during pregnancy, so it often becomes the cause of osteochondrosis in girls and women.
risk of osteochondrosis
How to deal with osteochondrosis?In the early stages of osteochondrosis (first or second), its symptoms may be poorly expressed or may not bother the person at all.This is dangerous because advanced osteochondrosis, in addition to discomfort and pain, can "give" you complications in the form of serious diseases such as kyphosis, radiculitis or intervertebral hernia.
What to do with osteochondrosis?- Get treated, because if osteochondrosis is detected in the early stages, you can get rid of it completely.
Modern methods are used to treat osteochondrosis
In the complete treatment of spinal osteochondrosis, two methods are used: complex therapy (conservative) and surgical intervention.
Complex therapy (conservative)
Therapy for osteochondrosis includes a whole range of medicinal and additional methods.This therapy is prescribed if you are in the early stages of this disease.
Grade 1 osteochondrosis is treated through:
- use of drug therapy;
- Local and general massage;
- A set of physical therapy exercises;
- The use of reflexology and a variety of physiotherapy methods.
Treatment of grade 2 osteochondrosis additionally requires the use of the spinal traction method.Spinal traction is performed using loads selected individually for each patient.Special equipment is used for this.The spinal traction procedure not only relieves intense pain, but also restores the correct position of your spine and widens the intervertebral space.
medicine methods
- Use of various anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs;
- The use of modern drugs that restore cartilage tissue.
Methods of use of drugs during drug treatment:
- All types of external rubbing and compression.
- Oral administration of tablets and capsules.
- Procedures like IVs and injections.
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis relieves pain, relieves acute inflammation, gradually relaxes muscle tissue, restores some of the affected cartilage, enhances blood supply and metabolic processes.Such treatment of the disease is necessarily prescribed in case of progression of the disease.
additional methods
- Specially developed therapeutic diet;
- Massage and self-massage;
- Physiotherapy methods;
- manual therapy;
- Light underwater hydromassage;
- stretching (traction therapy);
- acupuncture;
- traditional medicine;
- meditative relaxation;
- Medicinal bath;
- A set of physical therapy exercises;
- Working with a psychiatrist.
Surgical treatment (operative)
Surgical treatment is used in the later stages of the disease (third and fourth), when other tried treatments no longer help.Treatment of later stages is more complicated, since the main disease is already accompanied by other diseases of the spine - radiculitis, hernia.The indication for surgical intervention is the presence of an intervertebral hernia.Sometimes it is necessary to completely remove the affected disc.
Treatment of grade 4 osteochondrosis requires an extremely complex operation with a high risk of damage to the spinal nerves.Therefore, if attempts to cure a patient with osteochondrosis by other methods have not helped, surgical treatment is carried out very rarely.
How long does it take to treat osteochondrosis?
How to cure osteochondrosis quickly?It depends on the presence of pronounced age-related changes, variability in the manifestation of symptoms and the variety of treatment methods used.The patient himself can also actively contribute to recovery by carefully following the requirements of his treating physician.
Treatment of grade 1 osteochondrosis usually lasts one to four months.In grade 4, the recovery period after surgery can take up to one to one and a half years.Treatment also depends on the personality of the patient.He needs to be positive, persistent, strong-willed and highly motivated.
Treatment of various types of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is characterized by the location of the lesion (its location) in the spine.Osteochondrosis may be localized:
- cervical;
- Chest;
- Waist;
- Comprehensive.
Main complaints:
- With cervical localization - a person periodically experiences pain in the shoulders and arms, as well as headaches.Clogged arteries sometimes cause noise in the ears, colored spots and "floating" before the eyes, and slight dizziness.
- With thoracic localization - a person complains of pain of this type: "a stake was inserted into the chest", "shots" in the heart, stomach or lungs.
- With lumbosacral localization - a person complains of severe lumbar pain, which can spread to the sacrum, waist and even legs.Some patients experience numbness in the leg muscles.
- With wide localization, complaints about a wide variety of symptoms arise.In this form of the disease the person complains of several types of symptoms at the same time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?
Today there are methods of treatment of neck osteochondrosis:
- Pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antispasmodics;
- Stimulants for tissue restoration, anti-inflammatory gels, ointments for external use;
- manual therapy;
- exercise therapy;
- Hirudotherapy;
- Reflexology;
- traditional medicine;
- Surgical intervention if the case is particularly severe.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis?
Breast Type Treatment Tips:
- pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs;
- acupuncture;
- manual effect;
- vacuum therapy;
- Physiotherapy;
- Cupping Massage;
- traditional medicine;
- Moxotherapy (heating with a wormwood cigar).
Exercise therapy for chest type of disease is used not only as an addition to general therapy, but also as a way to form a muscle corset;Among other things, exercise therapy prevents possible recurrences.
How to treat lumbosacral osteochondrosis?
Therapy at different stages is carried out conservatively and surgically.
Conservative treatment of lumbosacral osteochondrosis in the initial stage includes:
- Drug therapy, in some cases hormones;
- manual effect;
- General Health Supplements;
- reflexology (acupuncture);
- lower back massage;
- traditional medicine;
- hirudotherapy (leeches);
- Exercise therapy.
Stage 4 lumbosacral osteochondrosis usually requires surgical intervention.
How to treat common osteochondrosis?
Common osteochondrosis is treated:
- prescribing appropriate drug therapy;
- Using all types of manual therapy;
- physical therapy exercises;
- Using acupuncture methods;
- Various methods of physiotherapy;
- Development of a special diet.
Any type of spinal osteochondrosis requires surgical intervention in only ten percent of cases.The operation can be prescribed for patients with complications, as well as if the patient turned to specialists for treatment late.If the diagnosis is made on time and you have already started therapy, it will be good if traditional methods of treating this disease are added to the traditional methods.Traditional methods have proven themselves in the treatment of any type of osteochondrosis.
treatment by traditional methods
Folk remedies for this disease are used along with drug treatment.Their purpose is to provide relief from swelling, pain and discomfort.Decide yourself how to treat spinal osteochondrosis - using various traditional medicine, or only by medical methods.
Popular folk remedies:
- taking tonic pine baths;
- Placing copper plates and coins on the spine.
- Compress with aloe juice;
- Massage with honey, honey wrap;
- Fresh decoction of herbs: oregano, hop cones and chamomile;St. John's wort, dandelion and burdock roots;
- Applying horseradish leaves to the injured area;
- Applying mustard or potato cakes on the injured area;
- Sunflower Herbal Tea;
- red elderberry tincture;
- The burden compresses.
When starting treatment for osteochondrosis, you will find that your pain will only intensify.This is a completely expected response of your body to unusual influences.Soon such pain will stop completely.The best way to treat osteochondrosis is a combination of conservative therapy with postoperative rehabilitation in specialized centers.
How can a person get rid of osteochondrosis?
Here are the three most common questions that worry patients with osteochondrosis:
- How to get rid of osteochondrosis?
- How to cure osteochondrosis quickly?
- Where is the best place for treatment of osteochondrosis?
Doctors answer these questions differently, because the speed of recovery depends not only on the form of the disease, but also on the timeliness of the patient seeking treatment.
Specialists can guarantee complete cure only of the first and second stages of the disease.Therefore, you should contact a doctor immediately, even if you only notice a few symptoms.Although all modern methods of treating osteochondrosis are quite effective, doctors consider the most effective therapy to be a combination of a set of traditional methods with constant training on stationary equipment for rehabilitation.This treatment helps to completely rebuild the muscle corset and forget about the disease for a long time.
Why should a patient with osteochondrosis not be treated at home?
- It is not recommended to treat a patient with osteochondrosis at home, since the lack of a special orthopedic bed, physiotherapy equipment and special exercise equipment can significantly reduce the effectiveness of treatment;
- Not every patient can consistently follow the daily routine, take prescribed medications on time, eat according to the diet, or undergo all medical procedures.Additionally, many patients require periodic reminders to continue treatment.
- At home, it is difficult to follow the correct diet suggested by a nutritionist.
Hence the conclusion: you can try to treat osteochondrosis at home, widely using traditional methods of treatment, but the best solution will still be to go to a specialized clinic or hospital for this profile, constantly being under the supervision of a highly qualified doctor.